basics of donor relations your map to an effective donor relations program
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Basics of Donor Relations Your Map to an Effective Donor Relations Program. Effective Donor Relations . Cynthia Uviedo Donor Relations Officer Trinity University. CASE District IV Conference Ft. Worth, Texas March 24, 2013. Overview/Road Map. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Basics of Donor Relations
Your Map to an Effective Donor Relations Program
CASE District IV Conference
Ft. Worth, TexasMarch 24, 2013
Cynthia UviedoDonor Relations
OfficerTrinity University
Effective Donor
Relations
Overview/Road Map What is Donor Relations and why is it
important Assessing your organization’s DR
activities Getting started Ideas and Samples Q & A
Donor RelationsThe comprehensive effort of any nonprofit that seeks philanthropic support to ensure that donors experience high-quality interactions with the organization that foster long-term engagement and investment. This effort is commonly thought to have four elements:
Gift acceptance and management Acknowledgment Donor recognition Reporting
Source: Association of Donor Relations Professionals (ADRP.net)
StewardshipReporting element is commonly referred to as stewardship. Historically, defined as the safeguarding of the assets of others.
Activities associated with stewardship are focused on ensuring that the funds provided by donors are utilized in the way intended as conveyed in gift agreements and fund terms.
By this definition, stewardship is a function inherently internal to an organization, rather than a donor-facing, external function. Source: Association of Donor Relations Professionals (ADRP.net)
StewardshipNoun1. a process whereby an organization seeks to be worthy of continued philanthropic support, including the acknowledgment of gifts, donor recognition, the honoring of donor intent, prudent investment of gifts, and the effective and efficient use of funds to further the mission of the organization
2. the position or work of a steward
Source: AFP Fundraising Directory, www.afpnet.org
Fundraising Cycle
Identify
Cultivate
Solicit
Steward
Donor Relations CycleDonor Makes Contribution
Acknowledge
AppreciateAccount
Ask Again
Janet L. Hedrick, "Effective Donor Relations"
Why is Donor Relations Important? Cost of acquiring new donors Why do donors stop supporting your
organization
Assess Where You Are
Assess Where You AreStart Behind the ScenesGift Acceptance and Management
Policies and procedures Process for review of gifts – can we do what the donor
wants us to do? Structure for giving opportunities Process for tracking gifts as they are expended
Assess Where You AreStart Behind the ScenesAcknowledgement
Private communication Accurate, timely, and meaningful expressions of gratitude Includes receipting and personalized, written
correspondence
Assess Where You AreStart Behind the ScenesDonor Recognition
Giving societies, Honor Rolls Donor walls, named space signage Internal and external publicity Donor recognition events, engagement opportunities
Assess Where You AreStart Behind the ScenesReporting
Stewardship What is the impact of the donor’s gift on the mission of
your organization Qualitative Quantitative
Getting Started on the Donor Relations Road
Gift Acceptance and Management MOU/Gift Agreement templates
Who’s authorize to sign Include Business Office, Fiscal Affairs How are donor’s intent tracked Who is tracking Important – information feeds into
reporting Review
Acknowledgement Top-level acknowledgements/thank you
letters from President, Chancellor, Dean, Headmaster, Board members
From someone benefitting from the gift Student Faculty member Parent
Sample of student thank you letter
Donor Recognition Process of expressing gratitude for a
contribution in a public way Signage Named opportunities Special presentation Appreciation events Gifts
Signage/Named OpportunitiesDonor Recognition
Scholarship Events Seated dinner for endowed scholarship donors Reception for annual fund donors Photo with donors Student speaker; donor/Board speaker Keep program short; time to interact with
students
Appreciation Events
Special Presentation
Appreciation Events Heritage Society
Luncheon Special events for
large donors Thank-a-thon
Gifts
Publicity Articles in your alumni magazine,
website, e-newsletter For transformational gifts, news releases
to the media Recognition among their peers
Events Special publications for giving societies
Recognition Caveats Donor Honor Roll debate Know your donors and their expectations Recognition Preferences:
Expectants Moderates Frugal Secretive Anonymous – clarify what it means
to each donorLaura Fredricks, “Developing Major Gifts: Turning Small Donors into Big Contributors”
Stewardship/Endowment Reports Principal Market Value of Endowment Gifts received Distributions from endowment How funds were used
Scholarships - name and information on scholarship recipient
Professorships/faculty support – activity summary of faculty member
Lectures/programs – summary of events supported
Reporting
Sample Endowment Report
Sample Endowment Report
Reporting Annual Reports Reports on unrestricted gifts
Show overall impact on your organization **Communication is key!
Reconnecting with donors on a regular basis Reminding them about what their gift is
doing
Beware of DR pitfalls If implementing a program with existing
staff, be reasonable about expectations. Start with one new project per year to see how it impacts other work.
If starting with someone dedicated to DR only, don’t dump all the “extra stuff” on them. Discuss with the Development team about what it the expectation for this person. Caution with special events!
Questions?
Donor Relations Resources Association of Donor Relations
Professionals ADRP.net Donor Relations Guru – Lynne Wester
donorrelationsguru.com Effective Donor Relations by Janet
Hedrick (AFP Nonprofit Essentials series)
Cynthia UviedoTrinity [email protected]